Grade indicator stake



1966 w. o. CARROLL GRADE INDICATOR STAKE Filed April 21, 1965 FIG. I

WILLARD D. CARROLL INVENTOR.

FIG. 4

United States Patent M 3,267,901 GRADE INDICATOR STAKE Willard D. Carroll, Abilene, Tex., assignor of one-half to Robert A. Smith, Odessa, Tex. Filed Apr. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 449,811 3 Claims. (Cl. 116-114) This invention relates to earth working and more particularly to a grade stake and flag for bringing a strip of ground to a predetermined grade as in road building.

In present road building practice the grade of the subsurface is marked by blue tops, a term indicating a pointed wooden stake chalked blue on its fiat top. Then machines are used to move dirt until the sub-surface grade is level with the top of the blue tops. Difliculty is experienced with the blue tops becoming covered with dirt. Also difiiculty is sometimes experienced with the machine operator being able to see them and to know the difference from the present grade to the top of the blue top.

This invention provides a flag for the top of the blue top which is made of a cluster of strands of readily visible material which bunch out from the top of the blue top. Therefore all the strands come to a point at the top and even though they may be partially covered with dirt they remain readily visible and indicate the distance from the present grade to the top.

The strands are made of stiff, resilient material so that they may be scraped across by the blade of an earth working machine .and will flip back to the desired :position.

An object of this invention is to provide a readily visible grade marker.

Another object is to provide a readily visible flag to indicate the top of a stake.

Another object is to provide a readily visible fla-g which may be scraped over by the blade of an earth working machine and stil indicate the top of a stake.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, versatile, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture and operate.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof will clearly appear from the following description and ctrom the accompanying drawing, the difierent views of which are not necessarily to the same scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flag on a stake according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view [of the flalg before attachment to the stake.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the flag taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of one strand of the flag.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the flag on the stake.

Referring to the drawing, and describing one embodiment, wooden stake has flat top 12 and sharpened point 14 at the bottom. As discussed above the top 12 is conventionally blue. Bundle or cluster 16 of tendrils or strands 18 of crinkled nylon filament are clamped in the bight 20 of staple 22. When the staple 22 is driven into the flat top 12, the strands 18 become semiereet (FIG. 1) and diver-gently extend upward and outward from the single area of the bight 20 by the oo-action of the pressure of the bight 20 and the top 12. Thus the grade marker is formed.

When the marker is driven into the ground the distance trom the present grade to the top 12 is readily indicated. Even if only the top portion of the cluster 16 is above the dirt, each strand 18 extends from a point or area at the top 12 indicating the depth of the top below the present grade.

Crinkled nylon filament is Well adapted for strands 18 3,2191 Patented August 23, 1966 because they are readily visible, stiff and resilient. Other materials, plastic or metal (e.g. piano wire), are also suitable for the strands. By the term strands I do not limit the material to round elements inasmuch as flat elements are also contemplated by the term.

Also although stakes 10 are customarily made of wood and described as such herein, other materials are suitable.

Further, other attachments could be used in lieu of staple 22.

It will be apparent that the embodiment shown is only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction, materials, and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I :claim as my invention:

1. A grade marker comprising:

(a) a stake adapted to be driven into the ground,

and

(b) at least two readily visible, stilt, resilient strands attached to the top of the stake,

(c) said strands divergently extending upward and outward from a single area on top the stake; so that when the marker is driven into the ground the distance from the present grade to the top of the stake is indicated by a machine operator from as far a distance as may be seen.

2. In a grade marker having (a) a stake with (b) a fiat top and (c) a pointed bottom adapted to be driven into the ground;

in combination with the above the improvement comprising:

(d) a cluster of readily visible, stifi, resilient strands attached to the top of the stake,

(e) said strands divergently extending upward and outward from a single area on top of the stake; when the marker is driven into the ground so that the distance from the present grade to the top of the stake is indicated to a machine operator from as far a distance as may be seen.

3. In agrade marker having (a) awoodenstake With (b) aflat top and (c) a pointed bottom adapted to be driven into the ground;

in combination with the above improvement comprising;

(d) a cluster of readily visible, stiff, resilient strands,

and

(e) a staple having a bight driven into the top of the stake,

(f) the mid point of the cluster extending under the bight of the staple,

(g) the ends of the strands divengently extending upward and outward from the staple; so that when the marker is driven into the ground the distance from the present grade to the top of the stake is indicated to a machine operator from as far a distance as maybe seen.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 885,850 4/1908 Josenhans 50-77 1,066,045 7/1913 Pass 116-173 2,654,338 10/ 1953 Deal 116-114 2,660,822 12/ 1953 Hargus 116-114 2,753,833 7/1956 Tinsley "116- 114 3,059,732 10/ 1962 Hammack 33-74 3,126,861 3/1964 Sheinwald 18921.3

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GRADE MARKER COMPRISING: (A) A STAKE ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND, AND (B) AT LEAST TWO READILY VISIBLE, STIFF, RESILIENT STRANDS ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF THE STAKE, (C) SAID STRANDS DIVERGENTLY EXTENDING UPWARD AND OUTWARD FROM A SINGLE AREA ON TOP THE STAKE; SO THAT WHEN THE MARKER IS DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND THE DISTANCE FROM THE PRESENT GRADE TO THE TOP OF THE STAKE IS INDICATED BY A MACHINE OPERATOR FROM AS FAR A DISTANCE AS MAY BE SEEN. 